<p>Have been crazy busy the past few days. Still getting in my workouts. Wonder what category I fall in to…I do lots (70 minutes most days) of cardio (biking) but do hard intervals. It seems to be working for me! Upped my weights on the machines yesterday. Am liking the free weights and kettlebells even more. Those same pesky 5 pounds keep jumping around since my Mexican vacation!</p>
<p>NMINN:</p>
<p>I believe that there is a short-term bump in the scale weight when you crank up the weights – due mostly to fluid retention in the recovery of newly used muscles and so forth. I am here to say that this is more than offset by very positive changes in the shape of the body from strength training. I’ve seen my weight start dropping again, but not as dramatic as the change in my waistline. This strength training stuff is really working for me – and I’m talking about getting leaner and thinner, not body builder muscles.</p>
<p>Off to Charleston, S.C. tomorrow for a quick weekend trip. Bring on the shrimp and grits! Will do a makeshift hotel gym workout. </p>
<p>I’ve done a lot of shuttles and monster walks with the resistance band around my ankles over the past year, but now my trainer is chucking a medicine ball at me and expecting me to both catch it and toss it back. And keep moving. I won’t be chewing gum, that’s for sure!</p>
<p>Congrats on hitting your goal, Fendergirl!</p>
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<p>I would hunker down on some low country fried shrimp and force myself to pass on the grits!</p>
<p>Actually, my last trip to the Low Country was pretty much my last hurrah with eating as a big ol’ fat guy. Fried shrimp and hushpuppies and onion rings for dinner. Pork bar-b-q sandwiches and fries for lunch. Bojangles steak biscuits for breakfast. All washed down with bottomless cups of sweet tea. </p>
<p>The only photo of me near my peak weight was taken on that trip. It wasn’t pretty. We walked one mile in downtown Charleston (on a hot summer day and I think I was wearing the fatty jeans from the photo I posted). I thought I was going to die and there are no hills in downtown Charleston. It was just ridiculous. That kind of set in motion doing something about it six months later.</p>
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<p><a href=“http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Note that the tables indicate increased consumption of almost all foods, including meat (milk and eggs being the exceptions). However, grains and sugars increased more than others. Naturally, total calories consumed increased.</p>
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<p>And people were much more physically active in their daily lives back then, so they got exercise without needing to go to the gym.</p>
<p>Also, what people do in the gym is not always effective.</p>
<p>Congrats to fendergirl!!! Yay!!! Reaching a goal weight is awesome. Keep up the good work.</p>
<p>Back from the gym. I sweated off 2 pounds…really!!! I also drank 2 bottles of water. Now to keep moving in that direction. Heading to a friend’s lake home tomorrow until Tuesday evening. Will have to get walks in and do some pushups and dips while there. Guess I need to just be creative and careful of not drinking too much wine!! ;)</p>
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<p>NM, I notice that you aren’t spending your time agonizing over on the empty nest thread! You’ll be my role model when my nest is empty. (I guess I have three years to find a good freind with a lake house. [I try like crazy to avoid going to the relatives’ Minnesota lake houses!]</p>
<p>Woo hooo. 61 degrees and sunny today. Snow still melting, but walking without gloves and hat for the first time in ages! The ol’ (formerly) fat guy was walkin’ at a pretty good pace today – under 16 minutes a mile – but I’m out of walking shape. Feelin’ it a little in the shoulders. Nice to get some fresh air, though.</p>
<p>What a difference a year makes. I first walked this route about a year ago and, coming up the hill from the river, I had to stop, bent over, panting like a dog, dripping sweat, heart rate pounding at 96% of max. Today? Cruised past that spot with a heart rate of 76% of max, not even breathing that hard. Nice.</p>
<p>3.5 miles today and abbreviated weights. Got up to 10x140 on the bench press. I think that I’ll be at this level for a while as it provides enough resistance to work up to three sets.</p>
<p>I stopped by Sports Authority on my way home and they had a bunch of clearance racks out (something about Thursdays). I found a pair of Adidas running shorts without front pockets - it has one zip rear pocket - 5 inches and very light. Something that I’ve been looking for at a good price. All of my other shorts are 7 inches with front pockets - I like to use running shorts for tennis and need the pockets to hold tennis balls. I have enough of those now so running shorts of the light variety are what I am looking for.</p>
<p>While looking at the clearance rack, I noticed a pair of tech cargo shorts. I’d never seen these before - I have a pair of heavy cotton cargo shorts. This one had front upper pockets and one zippered pocket set a bit in from one of the front upper pockets. Rear pockets with a thin piece of material covering them with a Velcro enclosure underneath. Also pockets near the knees. They are made by Columbia and the price was $35 but I saw no indication of a discount. My guess is that someone just put them on the clearance rack instead of putting them back where they belong. Nice pair of shorts for walking around!</p>
<p>I’m back. Still going to an exercise group twice a week and just added walking on alternate days. Two friends and I signed up to do a breast cancer walk in Sept. Its a total of 39 miles over 2 days, I believe. We walked 5-7 miles easily the first 2 times and we hope in increase it 1 mile each time. My problem is my shoes. I wear a cross training shoe but I think I need walking shoes. My friend says I should buy shoe inserts instead for more support. Anyone have suggestions?</p>
<p>I would go to a running store and get properly fitted in a pair of running shoes in a brand that you will be able to buy in the future. For example, I bought Brooks and now can by that style and size from discounters or last year’s version. It’s worth paying retail for a pair just to try on all the sizes/widths and figure out what fits you. It’s not as simple as just measuring. By the measurements, I’m an 8.5, but it takes a 9.5 or 10 to be comfortable. As near as I can figure, I have an 9.5 foot with no toes!</p>
<p>While you are at the running store, try on their demo SuperFeet inserts. If you like them, take that into account in sizing the shoe. They are so comfy for me that I have them in every pair of shoes I own, including Sorel snow boots and TopSider boat shoes.</p>
<p>The “walking shoes” are typically just an extra-support running shoe in leather instead of breathable mesh. For example, the leather versions of the Brooks Addiction running shoe are called “walking” shoes. Same thing, just in black, white, or brown leather.</p>
<p>Ok, I’ve finished reading [Why</a> We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-Borzoi/dp/0307272702][I]Why”>http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-Borzoi/dp/0307272702) and I’m sold. So my new advice for weight loss is: </p>
<p>Eat Fewer Carbs, Move More</p>
<p>From now on, when I want a splurge, I’m going with the nuts.</p>
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<p>You eat fewer if you have to shell them.</p>
<p>Yeah, I broke down and had some pistachios this week. Actually nursed them for about three days.</p>
<p>I ran 4 easy miles (34.5 min) only since I was afraid that I would burn the dinner which was simmering on the stove. Tomorrow is either a dance day or a rest day, and Saturday calls for a 1.5 hr run. I hope I can convince DH to go bike riding in circles around me. I have to map out my run so it will end precisely at the brewery.</p>
<p>^ending at a brewery. Now, that’s my idea of a TGIF run!</p>
<p>I’ve been working on my burpees. I hate them with a passion, which means I need to keep doing them until they get easier. They are easier than they were a few weeks ago, but I still hate them with a passion. Maybe slightly less of a passion.</p>
<p>They do get a little easier. I remember when I first started doing burpees, right around Thanksgiving, I was totally wiped out panting after three or four of them and could barely get off the ground on the jumping part. Now, four months the five burpees are the “easier” part of my little kettlebell swing/burpees combo and I can jump strongly, for an ol’ (formerly) fat guy. I would still start to hate them pretty quickly if I did more than five at a time, though!</p>
<p>There is some technique improvement that I’m sure makes them more energy efficient. For example, I kick back into the push up and go down to the floor in one continuous motion.</p>
<p>I think the burpee might be the world’s best exercise. It has almost everything: upper body push up and lower body squat jump and cardio/metabolic conditioning, all in one.</p>
<p>Did my first hiking involving much uphill – maybe about 400 foot altitude gain. Woke up with a (yet again) sore achilles tendon on one foot. Aaargh. Ice and topical anti-inflamatories this am. I am tired of walking on only the flat, the weather has been gorgeous, and I live right next to the foothills loaded with beautiful trails.</p>